Dasco: Prabowo Sincerely Appreciates PDIP as Opposition

Executive Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that President Prabowo Subianto sincerely appreciates the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), which is outside the government coalition. Dasco believed that Prabowo, as General Chairman of Gerindra, values PDIP’s role under Megawati Sukarnoputri’s leadership.

‘What the President said, obviously we know it came from the bottom of his heart. And the words of appreciation to PDIP’s General Chairwoman Ibu Megawati and to PDIP are sincere,’ he told reporters at the Parliament complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, 20 May 2026.

Dasco went on to explain that PDIP lawmakers in the House of Representatives have, so far, been vocal in criticising Prabowo and ministers in the Merah Putih Cabinet. He said this was constructive criticism designed to enliven democracy.

‘The constructive criticisms that have been made by PDIP colleagues in parliament, which have been ongoing since President Prabowo’s administration,’ the Deputy Speaker of the DPR said.

In the DPR plenary session on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, Prabowo read the Macro-Economic Framework and Key Fiscal Policy (KEM-PPKF) for the Draft State Budget 2027 in front of ministers, members of the House, and several party leaders. As the two-hour speech drew to a close, Prabowo referred to PDIP’s role in not joining the government coalition.

Prabowo expressed gratitude to PDIP and said the bull party was making sacrifices. He also admitted feeling saddened by the criticisms voiced by PDIP MPs.

‘TSometimes, before I go to bed at night, my heart aches. These PDIP members sometimes criticise very harshly,’ Prabowo said in his address to the DPR plenary in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Over time he has come to realise that these criticisms have underlying reasons. Prabowo also said democracy requires oversight and balancing, or the principle of checks and balances.

‘There is a saying that when someone reminds us, even if we do not like being warned, they are actually saving us,’ the former defence minister said.